Tendulkar opted out of the Sri Lanka tour while Sehwag returned to the Indian squad for the five-match ODI series and a lone Twenty20 International. The tour begins in Hambantota on July 21.

This is not the first time that Tendulkar has decided to skip an ODI series. The Master Blaster is more focused on Test cricket and has also in the past missed several ODIs.

Sehwag, however, said Tendulkar will be missed in the team and the entire nation wants him to play.

"Not only me but the whole country misses Sachin (Tendulkar) when he is not in action. But one should realise that he is 39 years and he should be allowed to pick and choose which series he wants to go. He will certainly be available for the Test series against New Zealand," Sehwag told reporters at the inauguration of Saba Karim-Genesis Pro-Cricket Centre here on Friday.

Sehwag was rested for the Asia Cup in March and will now return to the Indian squad. He said he is completely fit now.

"I played almost all the matches in Indian Premier League and there is no fitness issue now. The ODI tour of Sri Lanka will also help me in preparing for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held there," he said.

When queried about young Indian batsmen's failure on the 'A' tour of West Indies, the Delhi batsman said: "Before I became a prominent member of the senior team I have also gone for 'A' tours. Some people get runs on this kind of tours and some don't. That does not mean that those who fail are not good enough. The best part is that you can make mistakes and learn from it, try to rectify in your domestic cricket and come back stronger," he said.